The Last will and Testament of George Foys (Voice) 1491 - 1521

In the name of god amen and that I George Foys of Horsham being of a hole mynde and of perfect remembrance. The vi day of December the yere of our lord god mt vc xxi ordeyn and make this my last testament and wille in maner and fourme folowing

First I bequeth my soule to almighty god and to our blessed lady his moder and to all the saints in hevyn my body to be buried on the Southside in the Churche of Horsham before the newe wyndowe next unto my father

Item I geve and bequeth to the moder Church of Chechester xiid and to the high awter of my said parisshe Church for my tithings and offerings necligently forgotten xxs

Item I bequeth to Elizabeth my daughter when that she cometh to thage xvii yeres And if it happen the said Elizabeth to decesse within the said age of xvii yeres then I wille that a preest doe Celebrat masse and pray for my soule the soule of Anne my wife the soules of my fader and moder my frends soules and all cristen soules by the space of vi yeres and the said preest to have for his wages a yere x m~rcs till the said sume of xlL be ended

Item I will that if Sir William ffoys my brother be disposed to goe to the universitie of Oxford or Cambrige there to be student yf my said daughter dye wtin the said age of xvii yeres that then the said Sir William foys to have the said xlL for his exhibucion and he to pray for the soules above rehersed during the space of vi yeres

And the said sir William to have delivered every yere to him by myn executours x m~rcs till the said sume of xlL be ended the which x m~rcs I will shall ryse of the profits of my Landes after vi yeres tocome ended yf she dye yf not to stande and be as is before expressed. And yf so be that my said daughter lyve to thage of xvii yeres that then she to have the abovesaid xlL and not my brother Sir William nor noe other preest to be hired wt the said xlL

Item I bequeth to the brotherhede of saint John and saint Anne wtin my said parisshe Church of Horsham one kowe It~m to t bying of a white sute of vestments for the high fests of our lady to serve god wtin my said parisshe Church xxs

Item I bequeth to sir William Foys my brother xxs

Item I geve to the said sir William vis viiid a yere contynuying vi yeres till xls be ended

Item I geve to Elizabeth my moder all my stuff wtin my house that nowe I dwell in

Item I will that John Newman and Thomas Nye my servants doe dwell one yere wt henry my brother and wt him to use and occupye my Crafte and to indever them to teche him to the uttermost of their power yf he will lerne the said Crafte and the said henry my brother to geve to eche of them for their wages xls

And after the said yere so ended I will that my said broder henry shall deliver to the abovesaid John Newman and Thomas Nye my servants a stok of xlL And the said John and Thomas to have the occupacion of the said stock of xlL during the terme of iii yeres And if it fortune the said stock of xlL to be lost in parte or in all by any mysfortune or casualtie soe that it be not in either defalt then I will that nother the said John nor Thomas make no recompens to my said brother henry for the losse of the said xlL

Also I will that if the said John and Thomas doe increase by usyng of my said Crafte wt the said stock of xlL then at the iii yeres ende or at any tyme when it shall please my said brother I will the gaynes and profits of the same stock to be devided in iii parts that is to sey one parte to my brother henry a nother parte to the said John and the thirde parte to the said Thomas Nye equally to be devided

Also I will that the said John Newman and Thomas Nye deliver or cause to be delivered the said sume of xlL at the abovesaid iii yeres ende to my said brother henry ageyn

Item I geve to John Newman xls to teche the said Thomas Nye his felowe in his Crafte the best he canne

Item I geve to Thomas Nye xls.

Item I geve to the said John Newman and Thomas Nye a graye Colt going in Stoke park

Item I geve to Alice Almote my servant a kirtell Cloth besides all hir wages.

Item I ordeyn and make myn executours Elizabeth Foys my mother and Henry Foys my brother.

This witnesseth Sir William Weston preest William Danyell parisshe Clerk John Newman Thomas Nye and other

And the residue of my goods not bequethed I geve and bequeth to myn executours

For the disposicion of my landes. First I will that Henry Foys my brother shalhave Immediatly after my decesse my house in the market place of Horsham called Aylovys, the house that William Ousty nowe dwelleth in called Riprosys wt the barn and the wey my house and land called Whites Tylbery Pyllingysland hardyngs mill hardyngs Crofte and hornyng Broke lands my lands called Bullands and Froghole my ferme of Ashleysmyll and all my yeres in lady land with all and singuler their appurtenances

Item I will he shall have after the decesse of my mother the house that I dwell in my lands called Cobbetts Gylhams and holands wt all and singuler their appurtenances

Item I will he shalhave Immediatly after my decesse my house called Malyn Aperys wt garden called Aylovys To have and to hold all thaforsaid houses Barns lands mill fferme and gardyn and other the premisses with their appurtenances to the said henry and to his heires forver

Also I will that the said henry my brother shall hier a preest to singe for my soule the soule of Anne my wife the soules of my fader and moder my frendes soules and all x~pen soules within my said parisshe Church of Horsham And the said preest to have of the said Henry my brother x m~rcs a yere for his wages till vi yeres be passed

Also I will that if Sir William Foys my brother will goe to the universitie of Oxforde or Cambrige he to have the said xlL to pray for the soules abovenamed and noe preest to he hired And my brother henry to deliver evry yere to my said brother Sir William x m~rcs as is before limited till the said sume of xlL be ended that is to sey during the space of vi yeres / x m~rcs a yere

Also I will that Richard Foys my brother have after my decesse a Barn with Gates called Colyers to him and to his heires forever

Also I geve to Elizabeth my moder the hey that lyeth wtin the said gates To have it for him and to his assigns forever

Also I will that Henry my brother kepe an obite wtin the Church of Horsham perpetuall paying yerely for the said obite vis viiid for the soules of John Foys, Alice his wife, Hugh Foys and Cicele his wife and all x~pen soules for the lands called Cobetts after the decesse of my moder

The residue of my goodes not bequethed I geve and bequeth to Elizabeth my moder and to Henry Foys my brother which Elizabeth and Henry I have ordeyned and made myn executors.

Probate dated 30th January 1521